In addition to this Secret Santa blog, I also run ChellyWood.com, which offers free, printable sewing patterns for doll clothes and doll accessories. This year, for the holidays, ChellyWood.com is offering this free pattern for a miniature Christmas stocking. So I thought, “Hey! I should share this with my Secret Santa followers too!”

This sewing tutorial shows you exactly how to make the little holiday stockings. Even if you don’t sew, this is an easy project to make. You could probably even use felt and hot glue. (But my tutorial shows you how to make them with a needle and thread.)

For my 4th of July Secret Pal gift idea, I’d like to suggest putting together all the fixin’s for your secret pal to make himself/herself some home-made lemonade. Search for a recipe online and print it out. Also place the following goodies in one of those summer jars you see on sale at every store in town:

A dozen fresh lemons

A bag of C&H pure cane sugar

A wooden spoon

A juice squeezer

Tie a big yellow ribbon around the jar, and you’ve got a 4th of July gift for your Secret Pal!

Visit ChellyWood.com for more Halloween and holiday craft projects and free patterns.

My regular followers may know this, but if you are new to SecretPalTeachers.WordPress.com, you may be surprised to learn that in addition to this Secret Santa/Office Pal website, I also run ChellyWood.com, which offers free, printable sewing patterns for doll clothes.

But I’m posting this pattern because the little Halloween jack-o’-lantern candy bucket is perfect for giving candy to your Secret Pal or Office Buddy. Here’s an image of just the candy bucket by itself:

Free pattern at ChellyWood.com

This week I’m just offering the pattern. Next week, I’ll offer the tutorial for making this adorable jack-o’-lantern candy bag for your Secret Pal in October. So stop by again!

As always, if you like my free Secret Pal ideas, show your appreciation by liking it on Facebook, pinning my images on Pinterest, tweeting about it, etc…

Need a quick and easy Secret Pal gift for St. Patrick’s Day? Buy a box of gumballs, Gobstoppers, or Milk Duds, paint the box light green or rainbow-colored (or use construction paper), and glue the following emblem on the sides of it:

Last week I gave you the free, printable sewing pattern to make these cute little miniature stockings (along with a brief holiday poem you can stick inside). This week I’m showing you how to make them.

If you appreciate my free patterns, poems, and ideas, please show your appreciation by pinning, tweeting, or liking them on Facebook. Thanks!

In addition to this Secret Santa blog, I also run ChellyWood.com, which offers free, printable sewing patterns for doll clothes and doll accessories. This year, for the holidays, ChellyWood.com is offering this free pattern for a miniature Christmas stocking. So I thought, “Hey! I should share this with my Secret Santa followers too!”

Next week I’ll post my sewing tutorial, which shows you exactly how to make the little holiday stockings. Even if you don’t sew, this is an easy project to make. You could probably even use felt and hot glue. (But my tutorial shows you how to make them with a needle and thread.)

These Barbie-doll-sized stockings would be great to stuff with a simple candy cane, M&M’s, or one of my Christmas poems. So be sure and check back here next week to see the tutorial.

And just for good measure, here’s a poem you can include in your stocking with some blue M&M’s:

This is a re-post from last year. Hopefully the links still work. Sorry if there are glitches!

It’s still early! I recommend that you order bags, boxes, and containers online, while there’s still time. Since it’s almost Halloween, I’ve included a gift bag for that upcoming holiday too (although it’s probably too late to order it online–but it might give you some creative ideas).

One of my favorite companies for secret pal gift giving is Current, which is located at currentcatalog.com on the web (Colorado Springs, CO, in real life). But I’ve done all the necessary bag and box shopping for you, and I’ve got these links to help you find what you need:

That last bunch, the “assorted solid-color gift bags” are something I keep in my classroom for on the spot gift-giving, like when I’m trying to put together a small token of my appreciation for an emergency substitute teacher. I’ll pack it with soda, popcorn, and candy from the teachers’ lounge’s vending machine. Then I’ll throw in a few pens, pencils, and other supplies, so the sub won’t have problems with students who come to class unprepared. I also keep note cards in a secret location in my room so I can say thanks for being my on-the-spot sub.

Well, I do hope these gift bag ideas come in handy for your gift giving this year. If you need more gift ideas, please look back through my old posts. I’ve got bunches of ideas here!

And if you haven’t visited it before, check out my sister blog, English Emporium, which is an online MLA handbook for students grades 6-12.